e-learning case studies

Knowledge Pool eLearning Ufi

Case Study: 24/7 live online mentoring service to support learndirect students

Background

The University for Industry (Ufi) is one of the government's key partners in delivering learndirect, to meet the government's commitment to workforce development and lifelong learning.

Through learndirect , Ufi aims to drive up demand for learning, help adults improve their employment prospects by acquiring new knowledge and skills and help businesses become more competitive.

Ufi needed to provide specialist learner support services, including online access to mentors with experience in specific subjects for learndirect learners throughout the UK. Because m any Ufi students work shifts, the mentors needed to be available around the clock all year long.

The solution also needed to work within Ufi's existing Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which was not AICC and SCORM compliant.

The company Ufi chose would need to work closely with the communications team at Ufi to raise awareness of the new training products and services with Ufi staff at the learndirect Hubs, centres, individuals administering the learners and the learners themselves.

Ufi chose KnowledgePool eLearning, a company with over 40 years' experience of providing enterprise-wide learning solutions, to help them.

E-learning solution

KnowledgePool's solution was a learndirect -branded LiveMentor service, designed specifically to support individual learners whether working within a company or developing as an individual, to receive personal support in their learning from experts.

KnowledgePool rose to several critical challenges posed by the job:

•  the company recruited mentors in countries in different timezones, such as Australia and North America, as well as the UK so Ufi students had access to mentors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

•  KnowledgePool's experience in working with VLEs in the private, public and education sectors was instrumental in meeting the various challenges of integration and compatibility.

•  the development team worked closely with Ufi in running awareness sessions, to create marketing collateral and ran 'Train-the-Trainer' sessions to help bring the new products and services to all Ufi's administrative staff and the learners themselves.

Results

The contract was awarded initially for one year. It was such a success, Ufi extended for a further two years.

The LiveMentor package enabled the learndirect hubs and centres to draw additional funding, which has reduced the cost of access to learning for individuals.

LiveMentor has positively affected the learner experience of the learndirect e-content and has led to more use of the e-learning materials. Learners' comments include :

'Thanks for all your help. These tutorials are great!'

'This online help is far away the best part of the course...hopefully I can keep access to this site so that I can keep revising.'

'Thank you for clearing this up for me. You have been most helpful with this. It is great to know that you are here if I have questions that need immediate answers.'

'I really appreciate your speedy response and also putting my mind at rest.'